AMID very tight security, Muslim faithful in Delta State, on Friday, joined their counterparts across the globe to celebrate the annual Eid-el-Kabir festival.
As early as 7:00a.m, amid watertight surveillance by a potpourri of security agents in several patrol vans, worshippers had gathered at various praying ground to offer prayers and Thanksgiving to Allah.
At one of the praying ground located at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA, Warri, Commander of the Base, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, who was among the worshippers, urged Nigerians to use the Eid-el-Kabir celebration to pray for the good and development of the country.
The commander, who spoke shortly after the Sallah prayer, also enjoined all his officers and men including civilians to continue to seek God’s divine protection and guidance in the discharge of their statutory duty.
Dewu describes Sallah as a period for reflection and also a time to appreciate the Allah for his benevolence to his followers.
“I enjoin all Christians to join Muslims to pray for the growth of this country.
“We are also thanking the Almighty Allah for all he has been doing for us, this is a sacrifice to show our gratitude to Allah.
“I also enjoined all my officers and men including civilians to continue to seek God’s protection and guidance,” he said.
The Deputy Imam at the Warri Base, Master Warrant Officer, Tinau Aminu in his sermon, urged Muslim faithful to conduct themselves in a holy manner.
“Do not use this period to indulge in sinful acts, conduct yourselves in an acceptable manner before Allah.
“Today is a day signifying our solidarity with the Prophet Ibrahim when Allah commanded him to sacrifice his son which he so much loved dearly and he set forth to make that sacrifice.
“But Allah saw the sincerity of truth in his mind and decided to substitute his son with a ram.
“That makes it a tradition for us to always follow the practice of our father, prophet Ibrahim and that is what we are marking today,” he said.
Some other worshippers sue for peace and unity of the country as well as prayer for the nation’s president,” he said
Ealier, Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, had charged Nigerians to shun hate speeches and collaborate with the government to surmount the plethora of problems bedeviling the nation.
The governor, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, to mark the Eid-El-Kabir, stressed the need for Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers.
“I call on all Muslims and indeed Nigerians to use the period to reflect on the various challenges facing the nation. It takes the concerted efforts of all to achieve meaningful development in any nation especially in a period of economic recession.
“We must shun hate speeches because when these type of speeches are heard outside the shores of the country, it will discourage foreign direct investments and make local investors to be cautious which will further endanger our fragile economy.
“This season calls for forgiveness and love for one another. There is need for Nigerians to be united and be their brothers’ keeper in spite of all odds.
“The faithful should use the opportunity of this Eid-el-Kabir to deepen their faith in Allah and renew the spirit of obeisance to the will of the Almighty in accordance with the inimitable faith of Prophet Ibrahim.
“We should never forget that even in trials and temptations, our love for our neighbour must never diminish and our obedience to the will of Allah must be unwavering.
“As we celebrate, I urge you to spare a moment for our country and pray for her to surmount her present challenges. We should unite in our collective resolve to forge ahead despite our seemingly intractable problems and we should remember that all Nations of the world have their peculiar challenges,” Okowa enthused.
While urging Muslim brothers and sisters to imbibe the spirit of peace, sacrifice, love, piety, tolerance and mutual co-existence to underscore the significance of the festival, Governor Okowa commended Muslims in the State for their peaceful disposition and industry, which, he said, has contributed to the development of the state.
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